Mehlville Early Childhood

Parents as Teachers is a parent education program that supports parents in their role as their child’s first and most influential teacher. The Parents as Teachers research-based curriculum is used to educate parents about child development and parenting issues. All services are free of charge to Mehlville School District residents. To enroll in Parents as Teachers, please complete this form. You can also call the Parents as Teachers office at 314-467-5304 for more information.

Parents as Teachers currently has a wait list. However, please complete the enrollment form as soon as possible. We will reach out as soon as we can match your family with a parent educator. By enrolling now, you'll also receive the Parents as Teachers newsletter and invitation to fun events for the whole family.

Learn more about parent visits and parent support.

Children begin learning at birth and learn more during the first five years of life than at any other time. Independent evaluations show that Parents as Teachers works.

Children who participate in Parents as Teachers:

• Are significantly more advanced in language, social development, problem solving and other cognitive abilities at age 3 than other children.
• Score higher on kindergarten readiness tests and on standardized measures of achievement in early grades.

Parents who participate in Parents as Teachers:

• Are more involved in their children's schooling.
• Are more confident in their parenting role and read more to their children.

What to expect from Parents as Teachers

Personal Visits
A certified parent educator will share age-appropriate child development and parenting information, help you learn to observe your child, and address your parenting concerns. Your parent educator will also offer ideas for appropriate activities for your child.

Group Connections, Parent Lectures, Parent/Child Activities
Group connections are opportunities to share information about parenting issues. Parents learn from and support each other, observe their children with other children, and have fun! Check the Parents as Teachers calendar for the schedule of events being offered.

Developmental Screenings
Screenings provide opportunities to assess your child's development. They provide information on how your child is meeting developmental milestones and what skills to expect next. Screenings are administered by parent educators.

We offer the following screenings:

• Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ): Full developmental screening for children 3-35 months, administered in your home.
• Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning (DIAL 4): Full developmental screening for children 3 years to kindergarten entrance, administered at the John Cary Early Childhood Center. Call the PAT office at 314-467-5304 for an appointment.
• Health, hearing and vision screenings are also provided.

Resource Network
Parents as Teachers can help connect your family to community services that are available for supporting and enriching families.

Enroll in Parents as Teachers
We currently have openings to provide free PAT services of home visits, developmental screenings and enrollment in our MOMS Club. To enroll in Parents as Teachers, please complete this form. You can also call the Parents as Teachers office at 314-467-5304.

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